Ever Since You Were Gone
by SilverWingedRaven
Summary: Gustafa recalls and greives for his red-headed mistress. It's better than it sounds. One-Shot. Please read!


**Disclaimer: I do not own Harvest Moon.**

**Tragic one-shot. Read and weep!**

At around 6 o'clock in the morning, the sun's rays flooded over the horizon. The cobblestone paths glittered, still being moist from the previous night's heavy rains. The birds chirped in light song as the warmth awoke them from their slumber. Like said innocent creatures, I awoke at first light.

However, I didn't feel warm at all. I didn't burst out in my usual song. My seemingly ever-lasting smile was curled in a frown; foreign to my face. I slumped out of my bed and slipped on my worn-out brown shoes and beaten green hat. _She loved this hat…_ I recalled, a twinge of sorrow piercing my heart. I let my mind wander, melting back to the days when I could smile and sing without forcing myself to.

_It was a cool, spring afternoon. I find myself again relaxing under the tree outside my yurt, freely strumming my guitar. In the distance, I see a speck of bright red heading towards me._

_"Nami," I called out without stopping my music. "How goes it, lil' red?"_

_She attempted to stifle a giggle when she heard her new nickname. "Oh it's all right, I guess. What's with the weird nickname?"_

_"Just go with it, sister."_

_"Sure, hippie. So what are you playing today?"_

_"Oh, nothing in particular. Just letting nature take control and help me create a sweat melody for my sweet lady."_

_Nami giggled at my comment and closed her eyes to listen intently._

Sadly, that sweat giggle of hers had vanished with the winter breeze. The so peaceful valley I had come to love had eventually taken her away from me. A mid-winter blizzard froze the whole valley over. The thin walls of the inn were no match for the ice and snow. Although my dearly beloved had traveled the world, she only visited areas with warm climates, and her immune system was incredibly vulnerable when it came to anything cold. A scowl formed on my lips as I recalled the suffering I was forced to see that winter.

_When the raging winds had finally calmed slightly, I immediately ran from my collapsing yurt to the inn, banging crudely on the door._

_Ruby answered it. "Hello, Gustafa. What on Earth are you doing here in this weather?"_

_Rude and unlike myself, I marched right past her. "Where's Nami? I need to see her. Is she alright?"_

_"Oh dearie, I'm sorry, she isn't doing very well right now. Could you come back some other time?"_

_"Absolutely not! I'm sorry, but I cannot go without consoling Nami, I must see her now!"_

_A shocked expression smeared across Ruby's face at my sudden outburst. She managed to spit out the words: "I-I'm sorry, b-b-but… I think that i-it's best y-you don't… See h-her right now…"_

_Ruby was obviously terrified so I tried to comfort her. After that failed, I left her be and began to look about the chilly inn, calling her name._

_"G-G-Gustafa?" I heard a shrill voice call from behind a nearby door. "Nami?" I inquired to the voice. I eased open the door, only to find a terrifying sight._

_Sitting on a small bed was my beloved Nami, clutching to a thin blanket wrapped around her shoulders as if her life depended on it. Her teeth were chattering and her skin had turned an icy blue and had begun peeling like sunburned skin. "N-Nami! What on Earth happened to you?"_

_The red-head plainly responded, "I d-don't do well i-i-in the c-c-c-cold. They said I c-c-caught pneumonia and h-have h-h-hypothermia. And I-I'm f-f-freezing!"_

_She was clearly in pain and hadn't stopped vibrating from the chill in the air. I slowly approached her bed, sat down, and wrapped my arms around her fragile body. I immediately got a taste of her pain as an unbearably cold shock was sent through my body. I swear I could see my hands turn an icy blue for a second._

_We stayed like this for hours, silently but desperately trying to grasp warmth. Sadly, all we succeeded in was making me cold. We continued fighting the cold for the next two days, Tim and Ruby literally having to drag me out of the inn and into my yurt every night. _

_When I arrived at the inn on the morning of the third day, I was greeted by a pained looking Ruby dressed in black. She looked up at me with tear filled eyes and slowly shook her head. No words were needed. My heart, as if smashed by a mallet, immediately crumbled; beyond recognition and repair. I ran back to my yurt, not to emerge for weeks. That winter I cried each day and each night. I had lost the will to eat, to drink, and to live._

Of course, those days are gone now. I'm still not my old self; no, I'm far from it. But at least I can force myself out of bed on a morning now. I even go outside, but only to walk silently through the forests in solitude. In my yurt, all of my instruments sit, scattered on the floor, gathering dust. Along with them, a sky blue feather intended for my red-haired love.

I will try to continue living, but all I am now is an empty shell. I cannot truly live without her. But I will never forget her either. Nami, I will never stop loving you.

**A/N: AW! I don't know if you guys liked this, but if you did (or if you even actually read it) please drop me a review! I NEED THEM TO LIVE! I DON'T WANNA DIE LIKE NAMI!**


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